


The Days

by QueerLeFay



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 12:45:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5540543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueerLeFay/pseuds/QueerLeFay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A glimpse to Merlin and Arthur's relationship; how they settle to be a permanent fixture in each other's lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Days

Sometimes he reads to him; voice deep and soothing, like a lullaby gently swaying him into someplace safe – someplace away from his troubles and worries. 

“Let me read to you,” he would say, and Arthur would let him. He would settle down on the bed and watch as Merlin opens whichever book he wants to read that night.

He would read about knights and peasants, about life and death, celebrations and mourning. He smiles along with the happy lines, voice rising with excitement; he would sobered down as things turn for the worse, voice sombre and lips stretched out in a grim line.

Arthur always falls asleep just as the story’s about to end, and he would feel a light touch, brushing his hair away from his face and with it, a small kiss on his forehead.

At those nights, he would dream of him and Merlin, in another time and another universe – but together, always together.

\---

Some rainy days, he would pull Arthur close on the bed, wrapping his arms around his waist and closes his eyes. Arthur would tightened his grip on him and let him figures himself out in silence.

Arthur rarely knows what crisis got him in one of his moods, because Merlin never really lets him know. But that is okay, because he would always listen should Merlin decides to let him know, and he would never press if he doesn’t want to talk about it.

Most times, Merlin would turn around after a few long moments, kisses him shyly on his lips as a thank you.

And that, thinks Arthur, is enough.

\---

Other times, when the day is particularly dreadful and none of them is in a good enough mood, Merlin would lay on the bed, curled up around a piece of scarf that still smells like his mother's home. He rarely lets Arthur cuddled up to him at those moments, flinching away from his touch; but after he snaps out of whatever reverie he was in, he would apologize to Arthur by making tea and snuggles inside of his arms, kissing his shoulder and mouthing silent ‘I love you’-s.

\---

Merlin only ever writes in private or when he’s with him; and even then, he only started to trust Arthur enough to write near him after a few long months. 

\--- 

They were never really comfortable with pet names or public displays of affection. Generally, they keep their private lives away from the public, even if it’s just amongst friends. Thus why, he always flinches whenever Arthur accidentally slips and calls him ‘love’ outside of the privacy of their house. 

When Arthur calls him ‘love’ when they are alone, however, he would give him a private, soft smile, eyes lighted up with fondness and Arthur would feel his chest tightened in a frightening feeling of affection.

\---

When they met, Arthur thought, “I want him.”

When he first became friends with Merlin, Arthur thought, “I need to know him.”

When he knew things only he was shown, Arthur thought, “I’m in trouble.”

When Merlin stepped away from him because he was afraid of how close they have became, Arthur thought, “I can not lose him.”

When he finally got him to admit their mutual attraction and affection, Arthur thought, “I’m not letting him slip away.”

When they have been going strong for several years, Arthur thought, “What will I do if he ever leaves?”

\---

Arthur doesn’t realize it, but sometimes fear and doubt would show and Merlin would smooth up his brows with the pad of his thumb and kisses his nose. Arthur would bury his head on Merlin’s shoulder and lets himself get lost in the wholeness of Merlin.

\---

They fight.

And when they do, it’s a troublesome thing, indeed. They would convince themselves that they really do hate each other and stubbornly hide themselves from each other.

At those times, the true victims are their friends; they would stand divided, half for Arthur and half for Merlin, listening to them rave and rage, and sometimes, even if they won’t admit it after, pining for one another.

They are too headstrong to actually admit they are wrong or even to apologize; so they would just silently let themselves into the flat and sit next to each other on the couch, shifting and sliding slowly to each other and hold each other without words, faces aflame and relieved.

\---

They only talk about the problems again once they are level headed and calm, resolving them without the shouting matches.

Maybe, Arthur muses, that’s what keeps them together.

\---

Merlin will get bruises all over his body, some days, and he would claim that he didn’t know where they came from. Mostly, he would ignore them until they fade and disappear. 

Sometimes, the bruises would be ones Arthur had left on his skin with his kisses, and he would let his fingers skitter softly over them with a smug smirk, which would make Merlin rolls his eyes in mock exasperation.

\---

He clams up near new people or the people he doesn’t like.

Arthur often imagines some kind of a cocoon or a shell, which he would retreat into near those people. Some afternoons, when they are sitting in a coffee shop together, with Arthur listening and laughing at Merlin’s incessant chatter, an acquaintance of Arthur’s would say hello and stay for a chat for some moments and he could practically feel Merlin’s retreat to his shell. He would be quiet and smile politely when addressed; otherwise, he would stare out the window or sip his drink awkwardly. There would be silent moments after the acquaintance leave, and then Merlin would start his chatters again, as if he was never the quiet person he was. Like he comes out of his shell to be himself again.

Needless to say, Arthur is quite proud to be one of the few people Merlin allowed to witness his chattiness and uproarious laugh in full effect.

\---

Arthur turns his worries and fears to anger. Not intentionally, of course, but involuntarily. He could not help but hide behind his anger because he does not want to seem weak.

When their relationship was new and everything seemed to be too fragile and breakable, Merlin could not see through it the way he can now. Back then, Merlin would get strung along by Arthur’s agitation and they would fight until one or both relented.

But now, after everything that they have been through, Merlin can recognize his anger for what it really is – be it worries or fears or stress and tiredness.

\---

Sometimes Merlin would get afraid of the hugeness of their relationship.

He would get intimidated by the intense feeling he has for Arthur and what it could do to him should everything went to hell.

Those are the times Merlin would look at Arthur with caution, touches him with care, and shuts himself inside of his own head, questions of ‘what-ifs’ swirling inside of his head.

Arthur has come to recognize these moments and he would take a step back, giving Merlin the space he needs to get over his thoughts.

When Merlin realizes that it doesn’t matter; the scary thoughts don’t matter, because he loves Arthur and he would take what he can get as long as he can have it, and he doesn’t want to let the what-ifs ruin his _now_ , he would snuggle closer to Arthur in their sleep and hold him just a little bit tighter. 

\---

There are many reasons why they could not have worked.

They are too different, too similar, too too many things. But here they are, choosing to stay with each other after they have each exposed the other to their weaknesses, their faults and flaws. Arthur chooses to hold onto his love to Merlin, going over his dislike of Merlin’s messiness amongst several other things, and Merlin chooses not to lose his affection to Arthur, even though he has to tolerate his bouts of entitled outlook on life and too-early morning runs that wakes him up from his sleep.

It’s easy, though, accepting each other’s quirks and weirdness and imperfections when they can clearly see the greatness in their persons. It’s easy, when they know that they have given and received a love that is difficult to find elsewhere.

It’s easy, when their home is in each other.

 


End file.
